Opinion — life online is losing its appeal

As we review the digital habits of the last few years and question what they might look like going forward, several factors point to a future in which we aren’t quite so wrapped up in the virtual world.

Isn’t it strange to recall a time when social media didn’t exist?

For the past decade, we’ve watched as platform after platform has materialised, some cementing themselves at the heart of our digital habits, others fading into the background to be dredged up only when a friend asks ‘hey, whatever happened to Vine?’

Today, a substantial portion of our regular interactions take place virtually, and most of us would be hard-pressed to survive 24-hours without scrolling through the feeds of our favourite apps.

Fixation aside, however, the tide appears to be turning as more and more people start taking their lives offline.

Beginning post-pandemic — during which we grew tired of being stuck to our screens — the last few years have seen us strive to be more authentic and present IRL, which can be tough when mindlessly swiping on Instagram stories, losing braincells on the TikTok For You Page, and wasting hours formulating a photo series good…